Mail-bag catcher.



I. w. MOORE.

MAIL BAG CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4. I9I4.

Patented June 1, 1915.

v": NORRIS PETERS 3.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

JACOB W. MOORE, OF OXFORD, ARKANSAS.

MAIL-BAG- cnrorrnny Specification of Letters Patent. Patentegd June 11., 1915.

Application filed June 4, 1914. Serial No. 842,987.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that l, JACOB W. Moonm'of Oxford, in the county of Izard, and in the State of Arkansas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Mail-Bag Catchers, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to mail bag catchers and my object is to provide a device, which, while simple, cheap and easy to operate and certain to catch the mail from fast moving trains, will cause no injury or damage thereto and will practically itself be indestructible, and to this end my invention consists in the mail bag catcher constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a side elevation of a mail bag catcher embodying my invention, the full lines showing the position of parts when ready to receive the mail and the dotted lines showing the position of the moving parts when they have been moved as a result of the impact of the mail Fig. 2 is a detail 7 view in perspective of the rotatable support of the device; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the mail receiving basket.

My device is mounted at a convenient point alongside the track upon a leg-form base 10, having preferably a circular top or table 11, upon which is placed a turn table '12 connected to said top by a suitable pivot bolt 13, so that the mail-receiving basket which is mounted upon and carried by said turn table, may, by the rotation of the latter be placed to receive mail fromtrains coming in either direction. The table top 11 at its diametrically opposite sides has radial slots 14: in its edge and pivoted to an upright or standard 15 on the turn table is a latch 16 adapted to be moved into and out of said slots and which when moved into one of the same locks the turn table securely against turning and thus maintains the basket in the desired position to receive the mail.

The mail-receiving basket 17 is preferably of wire of which is formed each of the four sides and the rear, or bottom thereof, the front, or upper side being open for the entrance of the mail and said front side be ing formed by a rectangular metal frame 18. Said frame 18 has a shank formed of parallel arms 19 which straddle a standard 20 which, at its lower end is pivoted to a bracket 21 on the top of the turn table and the shank forming arms and said standard are held together by clips 22 placed at intervals, each of which consists of a U-shaped member and a plate through which the legs of the U-shaped member pass, the legs being threaded to receive clamping nuts.

The basket carrying standard 20 when in position to catch the mail stands vertically, and it is yieldingly held in vertical mailreceiving position by a coil spring 23, which at one end is connected to the standard 20 close to the basket and at the other end isconnected to the upright 15, and at intervals other springs 24 are connected with said upright and the basket-carrying standard, said other springs being successively shorter in length so that when the basket-carrying arm is moved, as when under the impact of the mail pouch, first one spring and then another will be brought into action and thus a graduated cushioned resistance will be offered to the movement of the basket from the impact ofthe mail with the double advantage that neither mail nor apparatus will be injured by the coming together of the mail and the basket. Obviously, if a single spring having a strength or tension equal to that of the series of spring were used, the device would offer such initial resistance to the impact of the mail bag as might seriously damage the latter, or the apparatus and this effect I avoid by the series of springs which come into action one after another so that theshock is not a violet one and yet I finally yieldingly oppose the momentum of the mail and gradually bring it to rest by the action of the springs whose total resistance is greater than that of the spring first called into action. The bracket 21 is provided with ratchet teeth 25 adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressed dog, or pawl 26, pivoted to the basket-carrying standard, and as the pawl rides over the teeth during the rearward movement of the basket, the latter will automatically be re strained, or latched in the position to which it finally moved and thus rebound under the action of the springs is prevented, which, ofcourse, might throw the mail out of the basket. As the basket swings downward it will be seen that it is in position, or may readily be moved to position, if it is not placed there by the action of the springs where the mail can be easily removed from the bottom and to facilitate that operation an apparatus is provided that possesses all the essential characteristics of an efiicient and otherwise satisfactory mail bag catcher. The only parts liable to damage, or breakage, are the springs and they can be very reference to the-frame, and a series f sepaeasily replaced When necessary.

By reason of the basket-supporting arms l9being separate from the standard 20, and the use of such device as the clips 22 to connect them together, the basket can be adjusted vertically so that it may be at the proper level to receive the mail bag regard.- less of the level of the ground adjoining thetrackyand the basket is supported at a height sufficiently above the top of the front standard so that the mail bags Will not strike the front standard in entering the basket. 7

Having thus described my invention What I claim is i l. Amail bag catcher comprising a frame, a mail receptacle movably mounted on the frame so that it may move to and fro With rate successively acting cushion devices attached to the frame independently of each other, and to the mail receptacle independ ently of each other.

" 2. A mall bag catcher comprising a frame,

amail receptacle movably mounted on the frame so that-it may move 'to and fro with reference to the frame, and'a series of separate successively ac'tmg cushioning devices 7 7 attached to the frame independently of each other, and to the mail receptacle independently of each other, said devices consisting of springs of graduated length.

3'. A mail bag catcher comprising a frame having a vertical standard, a mail bag receptacle, an arm pivoted to the frame and rising therefrom, and a series of "successively acting springs connected at one end to said standard and at the other end to said arm,

. Gopies of this patent may be obtained for the points of connectionof the springs with said armbeing at different distances along r so,

the arm.

4. A mail bag catcher comprislng a reconnected. r

ceptacle-carrying standard pivoted to swing 5. A mail bag catcher comprising a red.

cepta'cle-carrying standard pivoted to swing on a horizontal axis, a spring normally holding it in a vertical position, other shorter springs connected with'it and adapted successively to be brought into action, 'a stationary member to which said springs are connected and a locking dog pivoted to said standard. 7

-6. A mail bag catcher comprising a base,

a turntable mounted on the base, a mail receptacle, a movable arm mounted on Sald turn table to which the receptacle is at- 1. tached, a stationary member mounted on the turn table, cushioningmeans connectedwith the stationarymember' and said movable arm, and means to latch the turn table to hold the receptacle facing eitherof opposite directions.

7. A" mail bagcatcher comprising a frame, V having a vertically extendmg stationary arm on the forward side of the frame, a mail receptacle situated above said stationary arm and in rear thereof, an; arm pivoted to 1 the frame and rising therefrom, an adjust able connection betwveen'the arm and the receptacle permitting vertical adjustment of the position of the -receptacle,and' cushioning'm'eans connecting said arm and the stationary arm of the frame.

In testimony that I claim theforegoing I have hereunto set myhand.

' VVitne'ssesr V F. GRQOM,-" W. H. SrUBBLErmrjn,

five centseach by addressing the Commissioner*ofZBatents, washingtomllc. Y

Ji coB WMoonn. 

